Photo Credit: Club America
By: Jonny Rico
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The reigning CONCACAF Champions League ( CCL ) title holders Club America look to begin the road to a second consecutive CCL championship. But this is not the ideal situation the club wanted to be in as it travels to Seattle, Washington to face Sounders FC in the CCL quarterfinals first leg match on Tuesday Feb. 23 at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern) / 7:00 p.m. (Pacific) at CenturyLink Field.
America currently sit in fourth place of the LIGA MX table after seven matches with 12 points. It has only lost once in the season and has three wins and three draws. As discussed in the most recent episode of Radio Cascadia, one could easily think that Club America have gotten off to a good start to the 2016 Clausura season. But the reality is that fans, directors and media hold Club America to much higher standards and pressure is starting to build up.
In its most recent match Club America played to a 3-3 draw against city rivals Cruz Azul. At one point the ‘Aguilas’ held a 2-0 lead over Cruz Azul but then went down to nine men and the visitors were able to take advantage to level the score at the end. Goalkeeper Moises Muñoz had to be subbed out early in the first half after having his eye poked in a collision with Cruz Azul forward Joffre Guerron. Argentine striker Dario Benedetto also had to be subbed out in the first half due to a lingering hamstring injury. And in the second half forwards Oribe Peralta and Carlos Darwin Quintero were sent off with direct red cards.
Muñoz should be ready to go on Tuesday night against Sounders FC but Benedetto will likely miss Tuesday night’s match and maybe even the return leg.
Manager Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Ambriz will likely have a conservative game plan for Tuesday’s first leg match at CenturyLink Field hoping to seal the semifinals qualification at home at Estadio Azteca. Ambriz is under tremendous pressure from the fans and the media and a loss could be costly in his efforts to keep his job.
Any other year and there would be a little more patience on the manager (not much, but definitely more). The low-key manager is trying to navigate arguably the most important Mexican league club as it gets set to celebrate its 100th Anniversary in October. The CCL will be double edge sword for Ambriz. If he is able to win the title he’ll have a chance to keep his job for the 2016 Apertura season in which the big birthday will come up. Anything less than the trophy and FIFA Club World Cup ticket and the pressure would mount. There is absolutely nothing to win for Ambriz during the quarterfinals and semifinal rounds but everything to lose.
SCHEDULE AND BROADCAST INFO (USA):
Seattle Sounders vs Club America – CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals First Leg
Tuesday Feb. 23 10:00 p.m. (Eastern) / 7:00 p.m. (Pacific) – CenturyLink Field
TV (USA): Fox Sports 1 (English), Univision Deportes Network (Spanish)
Radio (USA): ESPN Deportes Radio (Spanish)
